160	short stories
a third month and then a fourth. The Subedar
had the foolish expectation that if some time
passed like this he would be able to get his cook's
consent to what he wished to do. The complainant
might take back the complaint or the magistrate
might make some sort of an enquiry and say that
the complaint was baseless or that the occurrence
was of no great importance and let off the accused.
But the poor man did not know what kind of
person his cook was and how his qualities had
grown under this master's patronage. As the
trial was pushed further and further away the
cook became more and more determined that the
Sowcar should be punished. ' Come what may'
he said openly, 41 am going to get this fellow
booked. If my master gives him the punishment,
well and good. If he does not, we shall go in
appeal. I shall show to the world that this
Sowcar's sowcari and this Subedar's subedari
cannot stand against a man like me'. At this
stage he gave up service in the Subedar's house
and went into the business area and opened a
lunch shop. Some time thereafter he went to the
Subedar's house and told his wife: ' Madam, I
have eaten food in your house. I have therefore
no wish to do you harm. But now my honour
is at stake. Pray, do not wonder at my using
that word. As there is an honour for the Subedar